Some of the 2024 WPS Thanksgiving Food Drive volunteers that will make it possible for 200 families to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
WESTFIELD — “This will be so many years of us doing this that I can’t remember,” said Susan Figy, co-chair with Ralph Figy, Eileen Jachym and Jimmy Jachym in the lead up to putting together 200 meals for families who need them in the Westfield Public Schools.
“It all started with Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski asking us to do it, I think 12 years ago,” she said.
Now a well-organized machine, the food drive starts early in the fall when Lauren Cadigan, supervisor of science, technology and engineering, sends out a letter to the principals and guidance counselors, asking them to identify who could use a Thanksgiving meal.
The schools then send the numbers to Cadigan by the first week in November.
“Last year we did over 225 meals. This year we are doing 200,” Figy said.
The co-chairs start in September when a call is made to prior donors to see if they still want to sponsor part of the meal.
“I am happy to say they always say yes,” she said. “Along with the meal ingredients, we collect gift cards that are spread out to the schools to use for families that have food emergencies throughout the year. There are families that are house insecure and gift cards are given to those who don’t have kitchens or access to kitchens.”
As they move through the fall months, Figy said they have a checklist of things to do. “We order all our food from Price Rite as they let us order in bulk and have it all packaged and ready for us. This Wednesday we went to Price Rite and picked the non-perishables up.
“Our order was then brought to the Westfield High School. Principal Charles Jendrysik was extremely helpful in finding us a secure location that we can store and pack bags for the food drive.”
On Friday, the bags were filled and distributed to the schools. The turkeys were picked up bright and early Monday morning and brought to the schools by a slew of volunteers.
“We are very lucky to have Brian Sullivan and Roxanne Bradley as retirees with trucks as we have them picking up 1000 lbs of potatoes from Swaz Potatoes. Dr. Martone has purchased these for as long as I can remember. A lesson we learned years ago is that potatoes need cool storage and a location was found for us at the high school by Principal Jendrysik,” Figy said.
This year, Matthew Delia, director of Student Activities and Leadership for Westfield State University, donated a check for over $1,500 to the food drive.
The main sponsors for the food drive are John Raymaakers and Sons and ROAR, Advance Manufacturing and Westfield Bank. Sponsors include Mike and Ann Marie Buell, Puffers, Peoples Bank, Dr. Jane Martone DDS, Rob and Dr. Kristin Levesque, Dr. Jim McCann, chiropractor; Kathy Wallis McCann, Coldwell Banker realtor; Lisa Oleksak Sullivan, Coldwell Banker realtor; City Councilor, attorney Richard Sullivan, 3rd; Lyon and Fitzpatrick; Mary Quesnel Mortgage Movement, Linda Wortman, Coldwell Banker realtor; Susan Figy, Coldwell Banker realtor; Bobbie Pitkin, Rita Slasinki, Maureen Tsatso, Kathy Mochak, and Marianne Irwin, all Coldwell Banker, and Shirley Spriscia.
Gift cards were donated by A Signature Fence, the David and Janet Mayhew extended family, Dr. Stanley Konefal and Rotary Club of Westfield. Polish National Credit Union and Westfield Gas and Electric donated bags.
“I also want to thank the people in the community who bought gift cards and turkeys from North Elm Butcher Block. And a thank you goes out to North Elm Butcher Block for helping us with this drive,” Figy said.
